Sunday, March 11, 2012

It might be time for a rant

This painting in oil was the work of John Trumbull, who served in the Continental Army under the command of George Washington. It depicts the death of Brigadier General (and physician) Hugh Mercer at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777.  When Mercer's men began to run upon his death, Washington, the commander in chief, shown mounted here, led a charge into the fray to rally the troops. The American victory was one of the major turning points in the struggle for personal freedom and national independence. Can you imagine, in this age of political correctness, when celebrity rules, of presidents whose primary talent seems to be singing, of people whose motto apparently is "me first" .... can you imagine that those who came before us had the courage to risk all they had and might ever have for personal freedom and for the independence of their country. Once, this was America. Sadly, I think, that America no longer exists.

I am about to indulge myself

I occasionally think about what I would like to see on television and what/who I would not like to see there. Here are my thoughts, mostly about what/who I wish would go away for at least a year, if not forever. These "items" are in no particular order, but, those who know me might be able to arrange them in order very quickly:

Regis Philbin, frequent television host and advertising mouthpiece: My god man, give it a break. Must you be on television being complimented on how well you look for your age and/or selling something every hour of the day? Fade away gracefully.

Oprah Winfrey: I never have understood the public attraction toward this woman, other than the way she throws money around. I once said to my second ex-wife that I thought Oprah was pretty much of a cult figure. Perhaps, that is what led to divorce No. 2.

Karl Rove, Fox News consultant: For a so-called Republican "idea man" who has not had a new idea since 1992, he sure gets a lot of air time. Send him back to Texas .... pretty please-ee-ee-ee with sugar on top.

Bill O'Reilly, Fox News commentator: While he often has good ideas, he is No. 2 in terms of public figures full of themselves. No. 1, of course, is Barack Obama. The only thing that keeps O'Reilly away from the No. 1 spot is that he has not started looking in the mirror and singing on television (at least, not to my knowledge).

Barbara Walters, ABC talk show host: She is sort of like a corpse propped up in a chair with her mouth moving. It is time for you to go home and to write your memoirs or a spy novel or your opinion on who murdered Princess Diana. Just stay off television for a while, and take your airhead buddy, Joy Behar, with you.

Chuck Norris, television and film "actor" (using the term very loosely): Your muscles are long gone, your movies never were any good and, and, and .... well, quit wearing sleeveless t-shirts and  trying to sell exercise equipment and, maybe, try fishing for a hobby.

Barack Obama, president of the U.S.: He is terrific at looking into the camera and lying with a straight face. Just go back to Chicago or head for Hollywood, where you obviously long to be and belong. You would win an Oscar for best acting your first year out there. (By the way, my work has included interviewing hundreds and determining who is lying and who is not, and, among those interviews, only once was I ever fooled.)

The producers of reality television shows: Hire some actual writers, some actual actors, some actual directors, and fire the fat, homely, slim, beautiful, inarticulate, uneducated people who are endlessly talking about how they feel and giving their opinions and repossessing cars and building weird guns and trying to sing or to act. Boycott cable television.

The producers of so-called television news programs: Again, enough of the people who spend their off-hours looking in the mirror, who bless us with their idle chatter, who grace us with their opinions. Hire more real reporters and fewer analysts, consultants, opinion mongers and politically-biased air-heads.  Boycott cable television.

I dropped cable television a month ago. (Actually, I only had it for a couple of years. Do you believe that? It really is true.)  I wish more people would do it, too. Demand programming  which is better both for your mental well being and for your money. Why does anyone pay for someone (infomercials) to try to sell them something? Why would anyone with even one-half of a brain actually watch a thirty-minute commercial? Yep, boycott cable.

As a farewell, allow me to say this: The three greatest destructive elements currently in play in America, in my opinion, are cable television, the Congress of the U.S. and the unions. Incidentally, I still hold union membership and once was president of a local chapter; and, I have worked for a congressman and for state grovernment, so I am complaining from the inside in a sense, not from the outside.

Yes, I know .... throw a stone or two at me, but, try your own list and see where you fall down. Nothing is free, including freedom ....



14 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeah..i do agree!!Get the hell away from television popcorn and internet..get a life!!

says me thats addicted to old movies..specially from war movies uffffffffff have you seen this one..http://youtu.be/L-Ro0SZf438

very good fram very good!!

Anonymous said...

wow internet goes fast nowadays!!

i agree with your political view,,and operah is a commercial figure..people must think for themselves!!

choose what to see buy dvds or something like that or dont let others choose for you wat to watch!!man that irritates me,,that there is one or two men that choose what we shall see..god fuck the channels!!

no i have to go to work..Last day this weekend..you know fram..money money money!thats something real!!money talks!!

Anonymous said...

and ,,why are you and kaya not speaking?and the man from romania..cant remember his name..the one with great photoes..

yeah..heheheh!

waiting for your comment ..waiting......!!!!!

no nothing for me??

ufffff..ok

this is just alittle fun hope you understand..i am in a great mood..what about you??

Fram Actual said...

To begin at the beginning, I could not figure out what movie you were referring to, Anita. The link appeared to lead to a discussion board about World War II films.

As for cable television, it has been a legalized, monopolistic racket from its origins.

I can recall saying once or twice before that sometimes your questions are a bit too personal, and I also have said in the past that you are asking the wrong person when you inquire why some people who once left comments here no longer do so.

It is good that your mood is good, and it is fine with me if you have a little fun and enjoy yourself when you visit me. As for my own mood, I am overly serious, as usual, and my temperament has not been good for some months now. I just might become a modern-day Etienne Brule. Thanks, for asking.

Daliana Pacuraru said...

Well, I am here.
I am here on Fram's blog even I did not comment. I came every evening to listen to Fram's music, Anita! Somehow I found myself in his thoughts, in his mood, in his words.
It happens sometimes with people you never saw in your life, but you can feel their energy around.

Here in Romania we have had a hard winter and because I was born in June, winter it is not my favorite time.Eh, spring will come one day, I suppose....

Hey, Fram, remember I am here....
listening to you...
My best regards from Romania!

Bitch said...

So boys and girls..
Here I am reading all your comments!!
To your post, dear Fram..
I can only say, that you are probably so right with your opinion for all these people on television..
With your comment on Obama I could only laugh out loud.. So hopefully he is going to Hollywood and winning an Oscar with all his lies!!

My hugs to
all of you Daliana and Anita!!
Dear Anita the "man" with the great photos is Daliana lol.

Fram Actual said...

Yes, you are here, Daliana. You are not invisible, even though you are the Wind.

Periodically, there is the scent of Yves Saint Laurent Kouros lingering in the air, so it is my thought that you have been here, sitting in the shadows, listening to the music for a while and reading my rambling posts.

Thank you, for your journeys to visit here -- and, for your kind thoughts and words about me.

Fram Actual said...

Oh, Monika, I know I am right about these so-called television celebrities and political hacks in a general sense. Everyone is entitled to work and to accumulate as much wealth as they wish to and as they are able to, but so many of these people are phonies and glorified con men.

Beware the burned out actor trying to sell you a reverse mortgage on your house or the once-disgraced politician trying to peddle his influence. These types are afraid of "real" work, and are only looking for something for nothing. Just wait and see what Barack Obama does when he finds himself out of a job next year.

Thanks, for coming by, and for leaving your words and your smile.

Anonymous said...

hahahah!!

well Fram..i love to poke you alittle!!so you know you r alive..hahahaha!!sorry was that a bad comment too?

sorry fram..you know me..iam very loose lips sometimes..well i dont mean to be bad so exuse me ok!!
we people always have a reason for why we behave like we do..agree..as the son of pierre auguste Renoir Jean Renoir says about his film.

.you can watch it here if you like..the rule of The Game.http://youtu.be/69woK9y8oTQ.

Anonymous said...

hi daliana!!it is soo good to hear from you!!

i hope still spring will come to your country!!by the way..is this movie from your place?i got it from an ex soldier which i am working with..soon to go to Afghanistan..god..i cant belive those young ones will go there..but it is all about proudness and beliving in something good..doing something good..see you soon Daliana!!

xxxx

http://youtu.be/L-Ro0SZf438

xxxx

Anonymous said...

monica!!My good girl!!

I was thinking of you here one day..so you went to germany??gosh i would like to go there too..like berlin!!

or salzburg!!

Wish you a great spring doll!!

xxxxxx

Fram Actual said...

Be honest, Anita, you simply want to know everything.

All right, this time I found and I watched Jean Renoir's commentary. Maybe, I will look for the film. I am not familiar with it, but it might be interesting.

Maybe, I will make a film ....

Anonymous said...

well..only way to get wisdom is to be a little curious about things..agree?

yeahhh ohh yeah..why dont you make a little clip for us here?that would be great Fram!
it is easy..you upload it from your phone then to u tube..and oh laa laa..then you post it here-..may be i will do that to!!it is fun!!

as you see i am at work..and here is spooky ..the bells is ringing but no patients in the room..and balls (not men balls hahaha)seems to begin playing on the ground all by them selves..in the second floor there is someone writing on an old typewriter,,you know those we had before..it is freaking scary!!

i hope all is good with you fram..i also hope you find inspiration to do a new post now when spring is on its ways..we have those little yellow tulips coming up and all is very good.
thanx for beeing an understand ful man fram..

Fram Actual said...

My epitaph might well be: "I am curious." So, you are right about being a little curious, Anita.

I did make a twenty-minute film once, but not the type you would see on YouTube or in a theater. It was about the prison in which I worked, and its purpose was to show state lawmakers/legislators for the purpose of gaining their support and their approval for more and more expenditures for the prison. I enjoyed doing it.

If I did a film now, I doubt it would be for YouTube.

There is nothing to inspire me at the moment, but, I will be putting up another post in a short time. By coincidence, it is related to the prison for which I made the "propaganda" film.

Something special ....